Car’s Engine Erupts In Flames On Freeway While Going In For Repairs

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A panicked woman with a baby was forced to pull over when the car she bought days before caught fire on the freeway.

Emma Maddox was driving her Pontiac Grand Prix on Interstate 5 Monday when she says she smelled oil burning and saw smoke pouring out from under the hood. The engine eventually erupted in flames.

Maddox exited from the freeway and quickly got the 1-year-old girl she was babysitting out of the car just before fire spread to the cabin.

“We were going to blow up or something,” said Maddox. “I didn’t know. Whew! Just get out and go. I didn’t think about anything else.”

Emma says she noticed yesterday that the car, which she bought on Saturday, was leaking oil so she called the former owner. He told her to bring the car over and he would help fix the problem. She says she was headed to his place when the incident happened.